Historic Gardens of Virginia 



Carrington. He married first, Margaret, the widow of Colonel 

 Charles Pickett and daughter of Dr. John Adams. His second 

 wife was Susan Grymes Braxton, the third in descent from Carter 

 Braxton, signer of the Declaration of Independence. His land on 

 the east sloped down to that historic spot known as Bloody Run, 

 where Bacon, in 1676, had such a fierce battle with the Indians 

 that the little stream at the foot of the hill literally ran with blood. 



Just as the stirring days of Revolutionary history hang around 

 those other homes, so memories of 1861-65 come crowding over 

 one as we recall how the sick, the wounded and dying of the Con- 

 federate army were nursed and tenderly cared for by the inmates 

 of this house, one poor fellow being buried in the garden while 

 Richmond was under fire. 



In the "Diary of a Southern Refugee," Mrs. McGuire speaks 

 of this house "as a picture of comfort and hospitality, the wealth 

 being used at this troublous time for the comfort of others." So 

 freely was this wealth used that Mrs. Carrington found herself 

 after the war not only widowed, but like so many gentlewomen of 

 the South, obliged to part with some of her land. Year by year 

 portions of the grounds were sold. The first to go was the vege- 

 table garden in the rear of the house. A white paling fence, 

 hidden by a hedge of bridal wreath and single and double holly- 

 hocks, enclosed this part of the garden, where, in large square 

 beds, many varieties of vegetables were planted, and strawberries 

 and raspberries grew in abundance: and what garden of that time 

 could fail to have its sage and rue, sweet marjoram and silver 

 thyme? Grape vines covered the long arbor which separated the 

 vegetable garden from the orchard, with its cherry and pear trees, 

 mulberry, apricot, apple, and peach. At the extreme end of the 

 ground was the old carriage house and stable, which was standing 

 long after the house had gone. In a brick courtyard the servants' 

 quarters and old smokehouse stood. 



Ruskin has said that "Flowers only flourish rightly in the garden 

 of some one who loves them." If this is true, there were many 



[76] 



